


brave soldier boy

by daringyounggrayson



Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [14]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Batman Bingo, Death, Family, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt Dick Grayson, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27766330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daringyounggrayson/pseuds/daringyounggrayson
Summary: Dick must pass out, because one second he’s wobbling on his knees, gasping and clutching his stomach, and the next, he’s on his back, staring up at Tim. Tim’s leaning over him, pressing gauze over Dick’s stomach where the harpoon had shot through him. There’s blood on Tim’s hands, tear tracks on his face.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Tim Drake
Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833130
Comments: 18
Kudos: 177





	brave soldier boy

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous asked: death with dick. it might kill me but it’s fine it’ll be worth it
> 
> Me? Using the same song for two different fic titles? What about it
> 
> CW: Character death

Dick must pass out, because one second he’s wobbling on his knees, gasping and clutching his stomach, and the next, he’s on his back, staring up at Tim. Tim’s leaning over him, pressing gauze over Dick’s stomach where the harpoon had shot through him. There’s blood on Tim’s hands, tear tracks on his face.

“I’ve got you,” Tim tells him, pressing harder on Dick’s stomach and making him cry out in pain. “You’re going to be okay. But we—we have to get out of here. The others are having trouble with the bombs and the tunnels could give in the next ten minutes.”

Dick nods, trying to control his breathing. He’s surprised he’s still alive, in all honesty. He feels dizzy. And something else; something that says death is nearby. 

“I don’t think I can walk.” He can’t, he definitely can’t.

Tim looks at him, panic written all over his face. “I can carry you, but you might have a spinal injury. Moving you like that could make it worse.” 

That’s really the least of Dick’s concerns right now, but he’s not going to tell Tim that. “Doesn’t sound like we have much of”—Dick stops to catch his breath—“much of a choice.”

Tim swallows, looking past Dick. “Do you think you can sit up long enough for me to finish bandaging you?” Dick looks at his fully bandaged stomach in confusion and is about to ask Tim what he’s talking about. “You’re, uh, you’re bleeding out your back too.” Oh, yeah. Exit wound.

Dick nods, bringing his hand to his mouth to bite down on as Tim moves him. It’s more painful than he’d anticipated, but Tim—the brave kid that he is—doesn’t stop when Dick screams. Apologies spill from his mouth, but Dick can’t focus enough to tell Tim that it’s not his fault, that he’s doing the right thing. Instead, he sits against a wall, unable to hold back tears as Tim wraps bandages around his abdomen and back. 

The bandages are more or less useless with an injury like this; Dick knows his odds of making it out of this are slim to none. He almost laughs.

“Okay, I think that’s the best we can do. Batman said the JL’s medical evac team is going to meet us.”

Dick nods, eyes closed as he tries to maintain a normal breathing pattern while Tim lifts him onto his back.

It doesn’t work.

Dick isn’t sure how long they walk until Tim stumbles, jostling Dick and drawing a scream from his mouth.

“Nightwing? Dick, hey,” Tim is saying, hand squeezing his shoulder tighter than anything as he looks down at him.

Down. Dick’s on the ground again.

Dick closes his eyes and pants for a few seconds, waiting for the sharp pulsing in his stomach to stop. It doesn’t.

“Time?”

“What?” Tim asks.

“How much time until,” Dick swallows, face twisting as he tastes the blood, “until the bombs go off.”

“They’re going to dismantle them.” Tim is so sure. “Do you think you can move again?”

Dick looks Tim over. He might be better off than Dick, but he doesn’t look great. “I’m slowing you down.”

“Not much.”

“If you keep trying to carry me, neither of us are going to make it out of here.”

“Yes we will.” Tim is so sure. “As long as we don’t stop again, we’ll be fine. We have time.”

Dick wonders if Tim realizes that Dick will be dead by morning, no matter if dies in this tunnel or in the Batmobile or on an operating table. If Dick lets himself pass out, he knows he won’t wake up again. Considering his lifestyle, he should be grateful that he’s getting to say at least one goodbye.

“You are so brave, Tim.” Dick grabs for a hand, and Tim latches on with all the strength he has. “You need to be brave.”

“Stop. Just—we still have time. Please.”

Dick smiles, keeping his lips closed so the blood on his teeth doesn’t show. He squeezes Tim’s hand. “Tim, I’m so lucky I got to call you my brother, you know that? I don’t think you’ll ever realize how much you mean to me, how much you’ve done for me. I—Thank you.”

“Dick.”

“I love you,” Dick says. “And I need you to get home safe.”

“And you think we don’t need you to get home safe?” Tim practically yells. He pulls his hand from Dick’s grip and grabs his shoulders instead, hefting him up. Dick screams in pain, but Tim ignores him, legs shaking as he moves. “I’m not leaving you.”

It’s two steps before Tim stumbles and they’re both lying on the ground. Tim’s crying this time.

“I can’t leave you. Don’t make me leave you.”

“It’s okay,” Dick says, and he feels far away even as he shifts to put a hand on Tim’s shoulder. “Hey.” Tim looks up at him. “Get help. Come back for me.”

Tim nods.

“But just in case, tell everyone I love them for me, yeah?” Dick says. He wishes he could say more, but he can’t think clearly. He’s slipping; he needs to focus on getting Tim home safe. “Promise me.”

Tim stands. He looks away from Dick, sniffing and nodding his head. “I’m going to get help. Keep breathing.” He’s so sure. Tim takes a step, then stops, turning to face Dick again before kneeling down and wrapping his arms around Dick. “I’ll be back soon. I . . . I love you.”

Then he’s gone, nearly sprinting out of the tunnel. 

Tim is so brave, and Dick was so lucky to call him his brother. 

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, I finally did it, I killed Dick. I don't read or write a lot of Tim these days, so I hope he was okay? But yeah, anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you liked it! 
> 
> As always, if you're feeling up to it, comments and kudos are very much appreciated <3
> 
> [tumblr](https://daringyounggrayson.tumblr.com/)


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